Golden Circle Mongolia Tour
12 days
Overview
Mongolia is a large landlocked country of contrasts; each four corners of its vast land have something unique to offer. Starting out from the modern capital, drive across central Mongolia’s vast steppe dotted with traditional Mongolian white, round-shaped felt dwellings and large herds of grazing livestock to reach the UNESCO inscribed Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, named after its flowing river. This region was the cradle of various ancient nomadic confederations throughout history – confirmed by ancient Turkic memorial sites, ruins of a Uighur capital, and the site of the Mongol Empire’s capital. From rolling grasslands to the barren Gobi Desert in the south, witness the shift in landscape during this journey. And see how nomadic families have adapted to these opposing environmental conditions and are living nowadays in a similar manner as their ancestors did hundreds of years ago.
Date & Price:
Departing: 01-06-2023
Finishing: 30-09-2023
Status: Open
Price Per Person:
Includes:
- 2 overnights at 4* hotel in UB (twin)
- 1 overnight at the local family guest ger (twin/triple)
- 8 overnights at the Ger camp (twin/triple)
- All indicated meals ( B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner )
- Drinking water
- All visits, NP fee and sightseeing fees
- Comfortable 4x4 van including gasoline with experienced driver
- English speaking guide
- All airport transfers
Exludes:
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities (camel and horse riding...)
- Meals not indicated
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- Visa to Mongolia
- International flights &Travels
- Hotel early check-in and late check-out
- Other services not mentioned in the itinerary
Travel information:
- * Visit Tsagaan Suvarga (White stupa) is a vibrant clay formation slope with a brink that is about 400 meters long and 60 meters high
- * Visit Yolin Am, translated as Lammergeier’s Valley, named after a large species of bird also known as the “bearded vulture”
- * Visit Khongor sand dunes. This long, narrow stretch of sand dunes continues for over 100 km with width of about few km to 12 km.
- * Visit Bayanzag nicknamed Flaming Cliffs by an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews who led an expedition team here in the 1920s.
- * Visit "Kharkhorin" ancient capital of Mongolia
- * Meet and stay overnight with a modern nomadic family, explore their unique daily lifestyle
Day 1 Arrival in Mongolia
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the bustling capital of Mongolia. Our representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to a centrally located hotel. After settling into your room, meet your guide in the lobby for a walking city tour to the main square and nearby museums. Then attend an evening show of traditional performances followed by a welcome dinner.
- D
- Hotel
Day 2 Stay with local family at Little Gobi
Drive about 300 km west from the city to Elsen Tasarkhai, which is an area with a stretch of sand dunes in the middle of the grasslands. Here you will stay overnight with a local herder family and learn about the Mongolian traditional culture and nomadic lifestyle. If you would like, horse riding can be arranged. This evening, spend time with the family learning about their daily chores such as animal milking, livestock tending, and cooking traditional food. This evening you will stay in a ger, which is the round-shaped Mongolian traditional felt dwelling.
- B.L.D
- Local family
- 300 km
Day 3 Drive to Kharkhorin town
Continue further west to Kharkhorin, a recent town named after and located adjacent to where the ancient Mongol capital Kharakhorum once flourished. The second son of Chinggis Khan founded the capital in the early 13th century before it was destroyed by the Chinese Ming Dynasty in the late 14th century. Today, the main attraction here is the Erdene Zuu monastery center, established in 1585 as introduction of Tibetan Buddhism as Mongolia’s main religion by a Mongol Khan. This monastery center was constructed from ruins of the ancient Mongol capital. A section of the monastery complex is now a museum displaying Buddhist artworks while some of the other monastery buildings are active with monks doing their daily practices. There is also a visit to the local Kharakhorum museum.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 90 km
Day 4 Ongi monastery ruins in the semi-Gobi
The Ongi Monastery comprises of ruins of two monastery complexes on either side of the Ongi River. Ruins of the older Khutagt monastic center, founded in 1660, used to consist of various administrative buildings as well as 11 temples situated on the southern bank while ruins of the later 18th century Barlim complex consisted of 17 temples situated on the northern bank. During the communist anti-religion purges of the 1930s, both complexes were completely destroyed. Following the introduction of democracy, revival of Buddhism took place beginning in the 1990’s with reconstruction and re-opening of monastery centers in Mongolia. Ongi monastery followed along with commencement of a newly built temple in 2004.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 320 km
Day 5 Flaming Cliffs
Drive to Bayanzag, nicknamed “Flaming Cliffs” by an American explorer named Roy Chapman Andrews who led an expedition team here in the 1920s. He was a proponent of “Out of Asia” theory of humankind’s origin. While searching for remains of earliest humans, which they did not find, the team instead discovered the first recorded fossilized nest of dinosaur eggs here at this site along with other dinosaur fossils.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 180 km
Day 6 Singing Sands
Our next destination is the Khongor sand dunes overlooking the green meadow of the Khongor river. This long, narrow stretch of sand dunes continues for over 100 km with width of about few km to 12 km. From flatland to the highest ridge is around 200 meters. In the late afternoon, you can try to climb up to one of the crests or walk the lower slopes and enjoy the surrounding view. It’s also called the “Singing Sands” due to a distant propeller hum heard when strong winds push tons of sand grains down steep slopes thus causing friction and producing small tremors.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 160 km
Day 7 Rest at the Singing Sands
Free day at the Khongor sand dunes.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
Day 8 Hiking in the Lammergeier’s valley
Drive to Yolin Am, translated as Lammergeier’s Valley, named after a large species of bird also known as the “bearded vulture” which glide over the gorge where they live and breed on crags of its high mountains. Lammergeiers mostly feed on bones. They can swallow whole or bite through brittle bones and its powerful digestive system quickly dissolves even large pieces. If a bone is too large to swallow, they carry it up and drop it down onto rocks below to smash it into smaller pieces. Nestled within the Three Beauties Mountain range, the narrowest part of its gorge shelters ice until July despite the hot desert temperature. The stream that flows through, the lush valley and its surrounding mountains altogether is an oasis in the middle of the desert accompanying diverse wildlife.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 180 km
Day 9 Drive to the White Stupa cliffs
Drive to Tsagaan Suvarga, translated as the White Stupa, is a vibrant clay formation slope with a brink that is about 400 meters long and 60 meters high. This naturally occurring formation once was part of a seabed eons ago. Ores exposed to oxygen created the differing purple, orange, and reddish hues that make it stand out amongst its surrounding flat expanse.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 215 km
Day 10 Drive to Baga Gazariin Chuluu
Baga Gazariin Chuluu is a 15 km long and 10 km wide granite massif encompassing an area of about 300 square kilometers. These unique rock formations create a labyrinth with its gorges, thus making it stand out from surrounding semi-desert steppe terrain. There is ruin of an old monastery center here and other interesting spots including rock paintings and a spring locals claim is good for eye health.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 240 km
Day 11 Return to Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to hotel and rest until farewell dinner.
- B.L.D
- Hotel
- 250 km
Day 12 Departure
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
- B
Gallery
Reviews
arantzazugraciag
An unforgettable trip in very good company! Lkhagva, our driver, knows each route perfectly, he is a very good driver and a very good man! His van is the best to get around Mongolia. And Odna was an exceptional guide, she speaks English perfectly and is so sweet and friendly :))
If you are hoping to take a trip to Mongolia, the Dashka agency is highly recommended. Very well organized and serious. It was a perfect 21 day trip!
We brought along very beautiful people, amazing landscapes and unforgettable experiences!